As a crowd of Democratic hopefuls gathers around Jackson's vacant House seat, the party's recommendation should narrow the field

Jesse Jackson Jr., with his wife, Sandi, left, launches his first campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1995. (Ovie Carter, Chicago Tribune)

Cook County Democratic leaders plan to recommend a replacement for former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in an effort to winnow a growing field of hopefuls looking to take over the congressional district stretching from the South Side to Kankakee.

Gov. Pat Quinn was expected to decide by Monday on the early 2013 dates for the special primary and general elections, but already a swarm of has-been and wannabe political players are considering the rare opportunity to run in the suddenly open, solidly Democratic, black-majority 2nd Congressional District.

Jackson, a 17-year congressman, resigned Wednesday, just two weeks after winning re-election, citing his treatment for bipolar depression and also revealing that he was cooperating with an ongoing federal investigation into his alleged misuse of campaign funds.

Given the short time frame for a special election, and the chance for politicians to make a run for Congress without jeopardizing any office they currently hold, name recognition and dollars are of the utmost importance in trying to secure victory among a potentially crowded Democratic primary field. The winner of that race is likely to win the general election as well.

"You've got so many candidates who say they're going to be running, it could be a free-for-all," Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios, chairman of the county's Democratic Party, said Friday. "We want to make sure we elect someone who works hard to represent everyone in Chicago, everyone in Cook County and everyone in the 2nd Congressional District."

To that end, the party will seek to slate a candidate for the primary election in the new Democrat-drawn congressional district that stretches from the South Side and south suburbs to include parts of Will County and all of Kankakee County. In the March primary that Jackson won, 89 percent of the votes cast by Democrats came from Chicago and suburban Cook County.

After easily winning a contested March primary, Jackson took a medical leave of absence from Congress in June and was never seen publicly by his constituents. Without running a campaign, he easily won re-election Nov. 6. He remained out of sight Friday.

Berrios said he has been in contact with ward and township Democratic committeemen who represent the Cook County portion of the district to prepare for an endorsement session to try to unify around a successor to Jackson.

"One reason (to slate) is to get everyone together in a room and see if we can solidify around a candidate," Berrios said. "If someone has the support of most of the committeemen, if one candidate can garner the most support, that will get them closer to the finish line."

Even if a lone candidate doesn't win the endorsement, Berrios said it could serve to winnow the field. Another factor that could reduce the size of the Democratic contest is the estimate by party leaders that candidates would need to raise at least $200,000 to $300,000 to be a viable contender.

Berrios said a slating session will be held once Quinn has set the election dates. Under state law, the latest elections could be held would be mid-March, though local election officials are seeking a Feb. 26 primary and April 9 general election to coincide with already scheduled municipal elections in an effort to reduce costs.

More primary and general election Democratic votes were cast in the five suburban Cook County townships than in the seven wards in the city located within the congressional district's boundaries. That could give an edge to a suburban contender, such as state Sen. Toi Hutchinson, an Olympia Fields Democrat in her third year in the General Assembly.

Hutchinson said she would be spending the next few days speaking with family, neighbors and community leaders "to explore a campaign for Congress."

Hutchinson was chief of staff to then-state Sen. Debbie Halvorson of Crete and was appointed to replace her in the General Assembly when Halvorson was elected to Congress in 2009. Halvorson, who lost re-election two years later, unsuccessfully challenged Jackson in the March primary and has signaled she might run again in the special election.

So far, Halvorson is the only white candidate among potential contenders. State Sen. Kwame Raoul, a prominent South Side Democrat who is not seeking the congressional seat, said he would try to play a broker role to prevent so many black candidates from running that it would "dilute the voting power of the African-American community."

"I think people will have to begin to look at elective offices as an opportunity to serve instead of an opportunity to have a title," Raoul said.

Another suburban contender is former NFL linebacker Napoleon Harris, of Flossmoor, who was just elected to the state Senate. Harris may have money — he lent his legislative campaign $227,000 — but his Nov. 6 victory was his first for a public office.